As a creative collective the term “inspiration” has driven us to become lethargic to the realities, foundations, and intentions of our chosen craft. …

The reality is that it’s easier to be inspired than it is to create an original idea and we are hardwired to take the path of least resistance.

Applicable to any of todays fields.

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When you understand something, that’s the highest high you can have.

Sal Khan founder of the Khan Academy,

…has a vision of teaching the entire world, for free. His not-for-profit Khan Academy has the mission of “providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere.”

Highly inspiring cause and effort, implemented.

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thesixtyone (t61) is a streaming media website that uses collaborative filtering to organize, promote, and sell music uploaded by artists, many of whom are independent musicians. The site was founded by James Miao and Samuel Hsiung and received early investment from Paul Graham. It was released in alpha form January 2008 and received additional funding from Creative Commons CEO Joi Ito and Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn.

Their wiki has some more info on how they play their music. It’s a nice place for nice Indie music. It appears to be a broader playing field than the current muxtape, to find new music and to get to know the artists. You just have to keep looking. (Via Shikha)

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(via Prateek)

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The Big Web Show features special guests and topics like web publishing, art direction, content strategy, typography, web technology, and more. It’s everything web that matters.

If you like love The Pipeline hosted by Dan Benjamin, The Big Web Show co-hosted by Jeffery Zeldman might just fulfil the itch to get more. This, coming from someone who’s mostly a consumer of the web. So anyone working or interested in the intricacies of the web is surely going to appreciate it largely. And if you can catch a live show before the editing, it can only add to the fun.

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I can only strongly recommend this to all music lovers, and especially for Indian music enthusiasts. But it’s not restricted to only them. It’s a first of its kind, made on Indian soil, and more reason to patronise such works of art and music. It offers a real perspective on the difficulties of a budding band in India, since the 1990s. The members share their philosophy and ethics in forming their band and in the music they choose to play, building upon their innate passion for music and for making a difference through it for the community. Exceptionally moving. It’ll never be the same again.

[If you like to patronise such independent movies/documentaries, Dingora could only be of help. It surely is my kind of movie community, and enjoyed the straightforward and simple experience it offered. But mild warning, it requires using Microsofts Silverlight player to view movies.]

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Now after you watch both clips, notice the cinematography, direction, editing and acting:

• The golden temple pillar.
• There’s no walking-in scene to the temple. The build up to that scene is created in other ways in the movie.
• The couple were standing together opposite the registrar while signing and how they are shot as silhouettes.
• The effortless affection between the couple, the sister and friends.
• No unnecessary sprint for the bus.
• The over reaction from Vivek Oberoi’s character or rather the lack of over-action from Madhavans.

It must be difficult reworking a masterpiece. Both deserve their respective credits. But if you choose to have a better viewing moving experience, do give Alaipayuthey a chance and do it the justice it deserves.

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Life in Perpetual Beta is a documentary film about the ways in which technology has/is/will change the ways in which we think about ourselves as individuals and a society. It is exploring the cultural shift that technology creates as it enables people to live less planned and more passionate lives.

I found this topic quite intriguing. The concept of living in the moment and making changes as you discover a passion for something; and breaking the norm of a planned and goal oriented culture. I’d say that’s interesting. Curious to know how these different personalities would approach such a notion. Now to hope that spring arrives soon.

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A minimal, anti-social theme for Google Reader

Having incorporated this stylesheet, it could easily be replacing my primary feed reader app.

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